Promises
by andymarx
Summary: After years apart, Edward finally catches up with his wife. Edward/Bella. AH.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Stephenie Meyer the creator of Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Promises**

After years apart, Edward finally catches up with his wife. Edward/Bella. AH.

* * *

Before Edward took a sip of his drink, he swirled it around, watching the liquid crash against the ice cubes. As he swallowed the scotch, it left a burning taste in his throat, leaving him warm on the inside.

He glanced at his watch, looking at the expensive piece of jewelry, it was the only thing of value he had remaining. It was quarter to seven and he was positive she would enter the restaurant in precisely fifteen minutes. After all, she'd followed the exact same schedule for the past seven nights.

Edward clenched his jaw at the thought of seeing her. For so long, his only purpose in life had been to track her down, and now that he was this tantalizingly close to accomplishing his goal, he was filled with a deep feeling of emptiness inside. He'd spent countless nights rehearsing this moment and now that it was finally here, he wasn't sure what to feel.

"Did you want another one?" the bartender asked, flashing a flirtatious grin.

She was a hot redhead, stacked and even though she was behind the counter, he was pretty sure she had legs up to her neck.

He winked at her, a hint of a smile playing across his face. He'd figured out a long time ago the trick to understanding women: never make it too easy for them. He knew full well if he flirted back with the waitress, she would soon lose interest, they all did.

So Edward held himself back. He smiled at her but he also made sure she saw him checking out the other women in the restaurant. And as expected, the redhead paid extra attention to him to make sure she held his undivided attention.

He knew the instant _she_ stepped inside of the restaurant. Even though he was sitting with his back to the entrance, every nerve in his body was aware of her.

"I get off in a few hours," the bartender whispered, giving him an enticing smile.

"That's great," Edward mumbled, no longer interested in playing juvenile games now that his real prey was here. Ignoring the dirty look she just shot him, Edward threw a $50 bill on the counter.

With each passing minute, the anticipation of seeing her grew and he could feel the excitement running through his body. He waited for the host to take her to her table, knowing it was located in a dark section of the restaurant. He knew she would be drinking her usual glass of Merlot while looking at the menu. And as the waiter took her order and walked away, Edward approached her from behind.

Seeing the shocked look on her face, a deep feeling of satisfaction swept through him as he took a seat across from her. He cocked his eyebrow, grabbing her glass and drinking from it.

"What's the matter, Swan? You don't look too happy to see your long lost husband."


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Stephenie Meyer the creator of Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Promises**

After years apart, Edward finally catches up with his wife. Edward/Bella. AH.

* * *

**Before**

"Honey, can you come down here for a sec?"

Bella groaned as she heard her dad's voice calling her from downstairs. Reluctantly, she climbed out of her bed and slipped her feet into pink, fuzzy slippers.

She tried to curb the annoyance she felt as she walked down the stairs; today was supposed to be her day off but as usual something must have come up. Her plans to lounge around the house, read _Anna Karenina_, and hang out were surely going to be disrupted.

Entering the living room, she shot her dad a sullen look which Charlie Swan willfully ignored. Clearly, her dad was excited and it took her a second to realize it had something to do with the boy sitting on the couch.

She hadn't even noticed him until now and surprisingly, he looked as exasperated as she felt. He had his feet propped up on the coffee table, a semi-bored look on his face and for a moment Bella could have sworn that he checked her out.

"Sweetheart, I want you to meet Edward Masen. He's going to be working with us from now on."

Neither she nor Edward looked very impressed with Charlie's announcement. Instead they watched each other with wary disdain, sizing one another up.

"Don't speak up all at once kids," Charlie said, slightly miffed that his daughter didn't seem to share his enthusiasm. "Bella, why don't you introduce yourself to Edward? I'm sure he's very interested in finding out more about you."

"Really?" Edward asked sarcastically, finally speaking. Sneering at her, he cocked his eyebrow. "I'm actually more interested to know why someone would wear those ugly slippers," he taunted, pointing at them.

Bella gave him a haughty look, her lips forming a thin line. "Whatever."

"Great reason."

"Why don't you shut up?"

"Bella!" Charlie gave her a disapproving stare, managing to make her feel slightly guilty.

However, when she saw the amused look on Edward's face, her guilt evaporated. "We don't need another person in the group, Dad. The three of us are doing just fine."

"And when I need advice from my fifteen-year-old daughter, I'll be sure to ask," Charlie pointed out. Despite the smile on his face, Bella knew he was completely serious and wasn't going to change his mind about this.

"Wow, I'm really feeling the warm welcome," Edward stated, placing his hand over his heart. "I'm touched… really, I am."

"Why don't you cut the dramatics, son? Tell Bella a little about yourself."

"I'm not your son, dude."

"And I'm not Keanu Reeves holding a surfboard; don't call me dude."

Edward almost snapped back with a retort but decided against it, despite Charlie's friendly attitude, Edward knew he wasn't someone to mess with.

"Now, we're going to have a family breakfast and I expect the both of you to be at least civil to each other."

They reluctantly followed Charlie into the kitchen where the maid had set out pancakes, eggs, bacon and more food on the table than Edward had ever seen in his life. Even though his stomach grumbled with hunger, he tried to appear nonchalant and disinterested in being there.

Taking a seat across from Bella, he smirked at her, knowing full well it would only serve to irritate her further. As expected, she shot him a dirty look.

As they ate the hearty breakfast placed in front of them, Charlie tried several times to initiate a conversation between Edward and Bella. Unfortunately, nothing worked. Edward was too busy eating and his daughter would reply with only monosyllabic answers.

"Bella, I'm disappointed in you. This is the hospitality you show our guest? I didn't raise you to behave like this."

"Did you expect me to bake a pie for him?" she snapped.

"Oh honey," Charlie sighed, shaking his head affectionately. "I only have realistic expectations when it comes to you and baked goods. I wasn't expecting a pie, maybe just some double fudge brownies."

Edward snickered, earning himself another hostile look from Bella.

"We don't need another person to work for us, Dad. Especially someone like him. He obviously has problems following instructions."

"Maybe. But he has the quickest hands I've ever seen," Charlie replied proudly, pointing at them.

Edward held his hands up, wiggling his fingers exaggeratedly to annoy Bella more. "These babies are special."

"Edward lifted my wallet a few days ago. Ever since then I've been tracking him and when I introduced myself to him today, he was gracious enough to accept the position I offered."

Bella raised her eyebrows, trying her best not to let her surprise show. Her father had the fastest hands of anyone she knew and he was always keenly aware of his surroundings, the fact Edward was able to steal his wallet had obviously impressed her dad and that in itself was surprising.

"You might not want to go around bragging you're stalking a teenage boy. There's a word for that. Pedophile or something," Edward commented, grinning at Charlie.

"You're disgusting," Bella bit out.

"And you're a bit-"

"That's enough," Charlie ordered, finally losing his patience. "You two will learn to get along even if it kills you. And I'll be the one doing the killing if you guys don't shape up."

Edward and Bella glared at each other but they managed to get through the rest of breakfast without getting into another argument.

As Charlie observed them quickly, he hoped he wasn't making a mistake. In his line of work, he couldn't afford to mess up. But something about that Edward kid called out to him and he'd learned a long time ago to trust his instincts. After all, a professional thief like him really had no one else to rely on but himself.

He still remembered the shock he felt when he realized his wallet was stolen while crossing the street. He knew how to protect himself and the fact someone was able to lift it from him was simply incredible. It had taken him a minute to recognize he was the victim of a crime and he'd clearly remembered the young boy who had bumped into him when crossing the street.

Thankfully, Edward hadn't gotten too far and Charlie had been able to catch up to him. Of course, his instincts took over then and instead of confronting Edward, he had stayed back and observed as the boy spent the rest of the day stealing from others.

It had taken a few days to get the whole story on one Edward Masen, the boy was practically an orphan, living with his aunt ever since his mother committed suicide a few years ago. He hardly went to school, spent his days stealing from people on busy streets, came home after midnight and from what Charlie could tell, was used to getting into physical fights with his aunt's big, brawny boyfriends.

Edward had been rude and sarcastic when Charlie first approached him, which had not surprised him in the least. Considering the life the boy led, he had expected nothing less. And he knew the only reason Edward had even accepted the job offer was because of curiosity and perhaps a little boredom. Of course he didn't know exactly what he'd signed up for and Charlie was only going to divulge the truth when he was sure Edward could be trusted.

Watching Edward as he ate his third serving of eggs, Charlie pondered his decision. He hadn't felt this strongly about something in a long while. He knew Edward would be a productive member of his team, despite Bella's concerns.


	3. Chapter 3

Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Stephenie Meyer the creator of Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Promises**

After years apart, Edward finally catches up with his wife. Edward/Bella. AH.

* * *

"What's the matter, sugar pie? Cat got your tongue?"

Edward watched her with hungry eyes, taking in her appearance. God, she was as beautiful as ever but now there was a hard edge to her which hadn't been there before. Her beautiful, silky hair was no longer down to her waist, instead it fell just above her shoulders in a choppy, shaggy cut. Ironically, he mused, it suited her. He'd always thought short hair was not Bella's style.

She was sitting in front of him in a red strapless dress, looking too damn hot for her own good. His eyes roved over her body, taking in her exposed shoulders. He had to remind himself not to reach out and touch her. Her skin looked soft, almost silky and he remembered exactly what she felt like underneath his touch.

Bella no longer looked surprised, a cool mask had slipped into place and she was giving him a cold stare, almost as if she didn't recognize him. And that _look_ converted the feeling of emptiness inside him into a deep, burning fury.

With his eyes fixed on her, he finished her drink, his finger tracing the rim of the glass. He hated the effect she had on him, had _always_ had on him. Even with disdain pouring out of her – or maybe because of it - he wanted nothing more than to lay her down on the table and fuck her brains out. Pull up her dress, slide his hand in between her legs, feel her cunt and fuck her until he was dead. Just looking at her made him hard and he hated that.

"I don't think I've ever seen you so quiet. It's almost endearing. Or annoying. I haven't decided which yet."

"Well then, feel free to leave and think about it elsewhere," she suggested in a casual tone.

Edward clenched his jaw as her words washed over him. He'd thought about her voice for so long, had imagined it countless times when he'd lain awake at night, pretending she was lying next to him, whispering things in his ear. And now here she was telling him to get out of her life.

"I missed you," he confessed, sounding sincere and pained.

And just for a moment, her eyes softened and he saw _his_ Bella staring back at him. Her lips quivered, gentleness replacing the cold look on her face and she seemed almost like her old self. Unfortunately, it only lasted a second and she was hardened again, watching him with cautious eyes.

"What do you want, Edward? Why are you here?"

He snickered, the resulting noise sounding more anguished than amused. "I'm your fucking husband, Bella. Or have you conveniently forgotten that little fact?"

"It's one of those things that I choose to think of as not really true."

"Ah, so you're still doing that avoidance thing. Glad to see some things haven't changed."

"Why don't you just go, Edward? Leave me the hell alone," Bella snapped, her eyes revealing her hidden anger.

Finally seeing an honest emotion from her, he felt a bout of satisfaction. Giving her an arrogant smile, he leaned in closer, resting his elbows on the table. As he'd suspected, it had taken her only a few minutes to snap out of her icy bitch phase. "I can't do that, babe. I've waited a long time to see you again."

"I'm surprised you noticed I was even gone."

"Three years, six months and twenty seven days since I last saw my wife," Edward stated. "Trust me, I noticed."

Bella glared at him, anger stamped across her features. She hated his arrogance, his cocky attitude… the desperation she saw in his eyes. He brought out emotions that she'd worked hard to suppress. But as usual, Edward Masen managed to fuck up her life once again.


	4. Chapter 4

Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Stephenie Meyer the creator of Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Promises**

After years apart, Edward finally catches up with his wife. Edward/Bella. AH.

* * *

**Before**

After the fourth time Edward was beaten up by his aunt's boyfriend, Charlie stormed over to his house and had a discussion with his aunt. An hour later, Edward found himself moving into the Swan residence, his bedroom situated as far away as possible from Bella's.

That night she helped clean his wounds and despite his constant attempts to bait her into an argument, she remained silent. When he caught the look of pity on her face, Edward almost lost it. He could take anything from her but he couldn't stand the fact she pitied him. When she finally spoke up and told him to shut the hell up in a teary tone, Edward realized it wasn't pity she felt for him, it was compassion.

Since then, Charlie kept a close eye on them since he was all too aware of the trouble hormonal teenagers could get themselves into. However, his worries about Edward and Bella dating were unfounded. They couldn't stand each other and their constant fighting drove Charlie crazy.

When Charlie started to teach them the ins and outs of his business, slowly involving them in planning heists at the ripe age of seventeen, he found their passion to out-do each other a great motivator to get them to work hard. Bella had a head for strategy; she would help him plan, plot, do all the background work while Edward was more of an expert in 'working the field'.

Emmett, his partner-in-crime and long-time friend, initially objected to the inclusion of Edward – much to Bella's delight – but changed his mind when he saw how truly talented the kid was.

"I have the fastest hands out of all of us. Just admit it," Edward taunted one day while sitting across from Emmett in the living room.

"I have the fastest hands out of all of us. Happy?" Emmett replied sardonically, drinking his glass of whiskey.

"Very mature, Em."

"And as a very mature person, I need another drink. What do you say, kid? Get me another one of these and I'll give you a tip."

Edward took the glass from his hand and walked over to the bar. When he handed the full glass back to Emmett, he extended his palm, waiting for him to put some cash in his hands.

Emmett gave him an amused smile. "Here's a tip. No one calls me Em except for her," he advised, pointing at Bella who just entered the room.

She was busy slipping her jacket on when Edward turned around to look at her. She paused for a second, taking in his heated gaze as his eyes traveled down her body from head to toe. Instantly, a tight coil of anxiety formed in her stomach, her mouth suddenly felt dry and she couldn't look away from him.

"Honey, where do you think you're going in that outfit?" Charlie asked, coming in the room right behind her.

Her dad's voice forced her to snap out of it and she turned around to face him. "I'm going to Lauren's party. I told you about it last week."

"Dressed like that?"

"There's nothing wrong with what I'm wearing, Dad."

"I thought the point of clothing was to cover skin," Charlie commented with faux confusion, rubbing his mustache. "Edward, I'm presuming you're going to this party as well?"

Since they both attended the same small high school, Edward and Bella shared the same group of friends and consequently ended up socializing with each other more than they liked. To be honest, Bella hated it much more than he did but there was little she could do short of finding a different set of friends that were completely immune to Edward's charms.

"I was thinking about it. I haven't made up my mind yet."

"Well, why don't you take Bella? This way I won't have to worry about her being stranded on the road because she ran out of gas."

"Dad!" she huffed, scowling at him. "That only happened once, I can't believe you keep throwing that in my face."

"I know, sweetheart. I'm a horrible father," Charlie responded in a placating tone.

"I'm not going with Edward. I'm taking my own car."

"That's cool. I don't mind if you drive. My horoscope said I would be risking something I value today. Makes sense that it would be my life," Edward snarked.

Emmett snickered but shut up as soon as Bella shot him a dirty look. "Whatever. I'm taking my car."

When she stormed out of the room, fuming with anger, Edward smirked at Charlie and Emmett. "That daughter of yours is a real charmer."

"She inherited that from me," Charlie grinned proudly, watching after Edward as he left the room.

A few hours later, Edward strolled through the crowded rooms, searching for Bella. After their argument in the car, she was even more pissed and had been avoiding him ever since they arrived.

He knew he could be a real jerk to her at times but there was nothing he loved more than to prod her into an argument and Bella never disappointed him. She was prickly and always on guard around him which only encouraged him further to see what else he could do to get under her skin.

He was heading into the kitchen when someone grabbed his hand from behind. Turning around, he found Jessica staring back at him with a suggestive smile on her face.

"Hey Edward," she breathed in a husky tone.

"Hey Jessie," he responded, knowing how much she hated the nickname he'd bestowed upon her.

Ignoring his words, she continued to flirt with him. "A bunch of us are playing spin the bottle in the other room. You wanna join?"

Edward cocked his eyebrow, giving her an amused look. "Isn't that a little junior high of you? I thought we'd all moved past kissing."

"Old school games are trés fun."

"Does that mean we're going to play Candyland next?" he snarked.

She giggled, linking her arm with his as they both walked up the stairs. He followed beside her as she led him into one of the quieter rooms. Upon entering, Edward was surprised to find Bella sitting in a circle on the floor, she looked eager and excited until she noticed him watching her. Edward ignored the rage he felt inside when Bella started to flirt with Mike Newton.

A few minutes later, Bella stared at Edward, wrapping her brain around the fact she was supposed to kiss him now. She'd spun the bottle and it had landed on him and there was no way she was ready for this. Not with him.

She was about to protest when the look on his face caught her attention. Edward was not good about hiding his feelings and for the first time ever, she saw an indefinable expression on his face she didn't recognize. It made her heart ache in a way she'd never experienced before and Bella found herself unable to turn away from him.

"Isn't that like incest?" Jessica asked, looking at them.

"They're not related," someone pointed out. "Besides, you have to kiss whoever the bottle lands on. It's your rule."

Jessica scowled, shooting Bella a dirty look which she didn't even notice; she was too busy watching Edward as he approached her. When he sat across from Bella, she had difficulty breathing, he was right there and so close and the way he looked at her made her insides tremble.

Cradling her face in his hands, he slowly pulled her closer. Bella was not prepared for the reaction he invoked in her when he finally kissed her. His lips were soft, tender at first. However, his tongue followed the opposite pattern. He played with her, stroking her until she was a throbbing bundle of nerves in front of him. His hands were soft against her skin, his mouth was hard against her own and she couldn't do anything except feel.

She'd kissed other guys before, but not like this. Never like this. And the fact that it was Edward making her feel like this should have been a surprise. But it wasn't.

When he finally pulled away, Bella stared at him, dazed and confused. She didn't want him to stop kissing her and he didn't look like he wanted to either. With his mouth slightly open, he watched her with a hungry look in his eye, clinging to her.

It took her a moment to remember exactly where she was, Jessica was glaring at her with hostility and everyone else watched them with amusement. "It's your turn to spin the bottle, Edward," Jessica reminded him.

Her voice was exactly what Bella needed to hear to snap out of her haze. She composed herself quickly, reminding herself to never give Edward the satisfaction of knowing how much he affected her.

"You had your kiss. Now can you get out of my face?" she asked in a haughty tone, glaring at him now.

For a second, she saw the pain and confusion in his eyes and it made her want to reach out and touch him. But she held herself back and watched as he took his seat again.

When he kissed Jessica next, Bella felt the burning pain of jealousy sweep through her. Their embrace was so passionate, it made Bella question if he'd been faking his emotions when he kissed her. Everyone hollered around them, cheering them on and all she wanted to do was rip them apart.

She spent the rest of the evening watching Jessica and Edward flirt with each other and then make out. Later that night when she drove home with Edward sitting next to her, they didn't speak a word to each other. He didn't bait her or taunt her and she realized things were never going to be the same between them.


	5. Chapter 5

Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Stephenie Meyer the creator of Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Promises**

After years apart, Edward finally catches up with his wife. Edward/Bella. AH.

* * *

"Can I get you anything? Would you like to look at our menu?" the waiter asked, directing his question at Edward.

He eyed the steak sitting in front of Bella and shook his head. "That's fine. I'll just share my wife's dinner," he responded, emphasizing the 'wife' part.

The waiter smiled at them and walked away, completely oblivious to the tension between the couple.

Edward picked up one of her fries, slathered it with ketchup and stuffed it in his mouth all the while smirking at her. She glowered at him, hoping her anger would at least annoy him, but she knew it was a pointless exercise; nothing satisfied Edward more than knowing he got under her skin and currently, she was playing right into his hands.

Feigning boredom, she leaned back against her seat and crossed her arms. "So what is it that you want, Edward?"

He chewed his fries, observing her intently as she tried another strategy with him. It amused him to know how hard she was trying to appear indifferent to him. If only she knew how much her body language directly contrasted her words, Edward mused.

She sat across from him, her body stiff, eyes burning with rage, lips trembling. And Edward remembered exactly how much fun it was to taunt her. And how much he missed it, how much he missed her.

"You want my wish list, Bella?" he responded, drumming his finger against his lips. "Hmmm… well I feel obligated to say world peace. That's number one on my list."

"How very generous of you."

"Some sort of superpower," Edward continued, wiping his hands with the napkin. "I think the ability to fly. Maybe super-hearing. Ooh, or X-ray vision."

"And not mind reading? That's surprising."

"Nah, I can do without that. People think boring thoughts anyway. Well, that and most of the time they're just thinking about fucking me," he grinned.

"I see you still have your modesty."

"Just being honest, sweetheart."

"So why don't you try answering my question, _honestly_? What the hell do you want?"

"A wife who promised to be there for better or for worse," Edward bit out through clenched teeth, unable to hold his temper any longer.

"Those vows applied to both of us," Bella pointed out in a furious tone.

"Someone who was supposed to be there in sickness and in health. Through richer or poorer. Remember that, Bella?"

"I'm surprised you still do."

"Oh I remember _everything_. I remember coming home one day and finding out my wife was gone. That she left me a measly note before disappearing from my life forever. _You_ took everything with you. You fucking left me with nothing," Edward accused.

"So that's why you're here," Bella stated wryly, shaking her head. "You want the money, Edward?"

"Well, you did take every single penny I had. I'm curious, how long were you planning it? I mean you transferred everything out of the off-shore accounts and I had no clue. It must have taken you weeks. When did you start conning me? _When_, Bella?" Edward demanded.

"What difference does it make now? Are you here to get your money? Technically, it's our money. I'll give you 30%. I think that's fair."

Edward snickered, giving her a look of disbelief. "You think this is about money?"

"Isn't it?"

"I _loved_ you. You're my fucking wife and you left me. Why?" he interrogated, desperation taking over his voice. "I want answers, Bella. I _need_ them."

"You had your answer in the note I left you."

"All it said was 'I can't do this anymore'. What the fuck couldn't you do? Stay married to me? Be faithful to me? Love me? Was there someone else, Bella? Is that why you left? I know you're alone now so he must not have stuck around."

"Fuck you."

"Funny. That's what I was thinking," Edward snapped, giving her a cold smile. "I want to fuck my wife. Long and hard. Remember how good it was, Bella? Remember how much you used to want me? You used to beg me to fuck you."

"Shut up."

"Remember the first time? I do, like it was yesterday. You were so hot for me. And you couldn't get enough."

"Shut the fuck up."

"You might not love me anymore but you still want to fuck me. Admit it."

"Go to hell."

"Tell me you want to fuck me and I'll leave you alone."

"What?"

"You heard me. Say it and I'll do what you want. Leave. You. Alone."

For a second, she contemplated telling him just that. Confess to him her real feelings. But reality broke through and she came to her senses. If she told him what he wanted to hear, he wouldn't leave. After all, he hadn't sought her out just to let her go. Not Edward. He enjoyed toying with her too much.


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Stephenie Meyer the creator of Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Promises**

After years apart, Edward finally catches up with his wife. Edward/Bella. AH.

* * *

**Before**

In her first year of college, she chose to live on campus, despite it being only an hour away. She told herself her decision had nothing to do with Edward but she knew all too well that was a lie.

Ever since they kissed, their relationship had become even more strained and in turn, incredibly antagonistic. Whereas they at least bantered with each other before and enjoyed the healthy competition between them, after that night, everything changed.

She couldn't stand to be alone in a room with him let alone work with him. Charlie noticed it all, quietly observing the now cutthroat interactions between Edward and Bella. He tried to mediate and encouraged them to talk out their problems but nothing worked.

When she told him about her decision to live on campus, he knew she was running away from Edward and whatever happened between them. It was the only way his daughter dealt with conflict of any kind. And as much as he wanted to, there was nothing he could do or say to change her mind.

Bella leaving affected Edward more than he ever thought possible. Next to Charlie, she was the only other constant in his life and when she left him, he felt empty and broken on the inside - the same feelings he had experienced when his mother died.

Throughout his difficult childhood and early teenage years, he never had any form of stability in his life. His mother was clinically depressed, alternating between the two loves of her life – alcohol and prescription medications. There were days when she was incredibly happy and others when she couldn't get out of bed.

Besides her poison, the only thing she was consistent about was high praise for his father. A father he had never known but his mother loved with all her heart. When she finally ended her own misery and killed herself, Elizabeth Masen left a note. Not for him but for that bastard. It was a bitter pill for Edward to swallow and he never quite got over it.

Without Bella's daily presence in his life, Edward felt lost. Even though their relationship had always been hostile, it was at least consistent. Through their biting remarks, their bitter sarcasm and snarky exchanges, they formed a bond that went beyond any kind of friendship. The connection between them was something she couldn't deny and unfortunately, it was also the one thing she couldn't deal with. And so she ran.

A part of him regretted kissing her the night of Lauren Mallory's party. She couldn't come to terms with the feelings it unearthed and Edward couldn't just let her ignore them. At first she tried to do the usual, avoid him, pretend the kiss didn't happen and it pissed him off so much he went out of his way to attack and bait her.

When she couldn't take it any more, she snapped back and their interactions became even more explosive. Throughout it all, Edward ached for her but knew there was nothing he could do about it because she wasn't ready for him. He excised his frustrations by provoking her into vicious fights until once day, she reached her breaking point and slapped him across the face.

A week later, she decided to move out and Edward knew he had no one to blame but himself.

Although she came home for the holidays, it just wasn't the same. She would only stay for a few days and most of the time, she avoided him. Because Edward decided against college, he spent his days working for Charlie who appreciated all the help he could get now that Bella was no longer a part of their operation.

Yet every few weeks, Charlie would remind him the benefit of a college education and pressure him to pursue a higher education. However, after losing Bella, Edward didn't want to separate himself from the only other family member he had.

The summer after her first year in college, Edward eagerly waited for her to come back. He missed her and he swore to himself he was going to behave and play nice. She didn't come home. She chose to spend four months backpacking through Europe instead.

When she finally came back to visit Charlie, she barely acknowledged Edward. Her cold indifference irritated him so much he went on the offense and questioned her about her sexuality. She left for school the next day.

A few weeks later, Charlie casually mentioned over dinner that Bella was dating someone new and he suspected it was serious. Edward excused himself hastily and ended up in a bar, courtesy of his fake ID.

That night he found someone that superficially resembled Bella, brought her home and fucked her brains out. When Charlie caught her leaving the next day, he gave Edward a pointed look, silently informing him he knew exactly what was going on.

The months passed and Edward learned to live with the dull ache in his heart… until one day when Bella returned home with her new boyfriend in tow. He detested Jasper Hale on principle but when he actually met him, his hate was justified.

Jasper was the total opposite of him in every way. Within minutes of meeting him, Edward knew the quality that appealed most to Bella was Jasper's passive nature. He didn't challenge her, didn't question her and Edward seethed with anger watching the two of them interact.

He felt betrayed when Charlie took a liking to him and stormed out of the house, burning with rage. When he returned the day after, he was informed by Charlie that something had come up and Bella and Jasper had to leave early. They both knew it was a lie.

A few weeks later, Edward moved out of the house realizing how much Charlie was being affected by the silent war between him and Bella. Because of him, Bella hardly visited her dad and Edward felt guilty for it.

He was making good money, thanks to Charlie and their successful, albeit illegal, line of work and was able to buy himself a small condo. However, he couldn't stand coming home alone to the cold, empty place and most days he filled the void with the help of one-night stands and occasional relationships with fuck buddies that lasted a mere few weeks. He also turned to alcohol and found fist fights passed the time just as well as a good fuck.

It was like any other night when Edward came home with an easy blonde in his arms. Unbeknownst to him, her boyfriend also followed them back to his place. That night, Edward ended up with a black eye, severe cuts and bruises and worse, a wounded ego.

Two days later, he opened the door to find an infuriated Bella standing in front of him. "What the hell is wrong with you?" she raged, pushing past him to come inside.

"Hello to you too, Bella. Welcome to my humble abode," Edward snarked.

"What? No housewarming gift?"

She looked the furthest thing from amused as she turned around to face him. "Why are you doing this to Dad?"

Edward sighed dramatically, taking a few steps closer to her. "Because it kills time?"

"You think this is a joke?"

"Define this. I have no idea what the hell you're talking about."

"Are you trying to get yourself killed?" she demanded, her voice almost hysterical.

"I'm being proactive. We're all going to die anyway."

"Fuck you, Edward," she bit out.

He snickered, his lips forming a thin bitter line. As he continued to stare at her, he noted the indefinable expression on her face. Sure she was angry, that much was obvious but there was something else in her eyes that he hadn't seen before. And it was something he couldn't just ignore.

"Do it."

She looked at him confusedly. "What?"

"Fuck me," he stated, finally uttering the words that he'd kept to himself for so long.

Bella heard the hope behind his words, sensed the desire pouring out of him and she desperately fought her feelings. She reminded herself that he didn't say anything she didn't already know, it wasn't a confession of love – thank God. It was just him saying he wanted to fuck her. She'd already known that even though he'd never actually said the words till today.

"What's the matter, Edward? Having trouble finding someone to fuck you now that you're not so pretty anymore?" she asked in a cold tone, trying to maintain her self-control, he was standing entirely too close for comfort.

"I'll always be pretty," he sneered.

Seeing the amused expression on his face angered her more than she ever thought possible. Why couldn't he understand what he was doing to himself? Doing to her?

"This is not a fucking joke," she practically screamed. "Dad's worried about you, you're getting into fights and he's convinced you're going to end up dead one of these days."

Guilt overtook his face and she spotted the regret in his eyes. "I'll talk to Charlie."

"That's it? 'You'll talk to him'?"

"What do you want from me?"

"I want you to change. I want you to stop getting into ridiculous fights. I want you to stop fucking everything that moves in front of you."

"Jealous?"

"Don't flatter yourself, Edward. I just don't want a phone call from Dad telling me you're dead."

"Then turn off your phone," he bitched, finally sick of playing her games. "Get the fuck out, Bella. Go back to your precious Jasper and leave me the hell alone. I'll do whatever the hell I want. I'll fuck whoever I want."

Edward attempted to move away but she grabbed his arm – surprising herself and him – and forced him to face her again.

"You don't give a shit about me, Bella. I'll learn to do the same," he continued, sounding uncharacteristically quiet. Something in her finally snapped when she saw how broken he looked, there was a combination of anger, anguish, and hopelessness in his eyes which made her insides hurt.

She cupped his face, reaching up to kiss him and found him momentarily frozen. Her lips were soft against him, gentle at first, trying to coax a reaction out of him. His brain couldn't wrap around the fact she was really doing this. Their one and only kiss was seared into his brain and he'd thought about it countless times over the last few years.

When it finally registered that this was actually happening, his shock wore off and Edward encircled her waist, pulling her firmly against him. Throwing himself passionately into the kiss, his tongue dueled with hers, stroking hers until she cried out for more.

There was nothing soft about this, their first kiss might have been relatively gentle but this time, it was completely different. He was demanding, harsh and she reciprocated with everything she had.

While trailing wet kisses down her neck, he cupped her ass, inciting a deep moan from her. Her head lolled back and she closed her eyes, enjoying the feel of him against her. He was touching her the way she'd always dreamed of, caressing her in places she'd never thought of as being sexual until now and the friction of his clothes rubbing against her was driving her crazy with desire.

She stood in front of him, breathless and panting for air. Edward knelt down, wrapping his arms around her back and when she looked down at him, she smiled.

His heart stopped beating – or so it felt like – when he saw that smile. This was his Bella and she was right there, telling him silently she wanted him. Gently pulling her down so she was on her knees in front of him, Edward kissed her softly. And this time, it wasn't just about passion. For him, it was also about love.

Her hands traveled down his chest, taking her time in gently stroking him. Slipping her hands underneath his t-shirt, she pulled it over his head, throwing it aside. When she saw the not-so-fresh bruises on his body, Bella gasped, pausing for a moment.

Instantly, Edward panicked, assuming she changed her mind about him. "Do you want to do this?" he asked, hoping against hope that she would say yes. Now that he was so close to being with her, he knew it would be hell for him to stop. To walk away from her. To pretend this didn't happen and yet live with it for the rest of his life.

"If you want me to, I'll stop," he repeated quietly, his voice hinting at desperation.

Bella watched him, noting the trepidation and fear in his eyes. And despite her own insecurities and hesitation, she knew she wanted him with every fiber of her being. "Don't stop."

Those two words were exactly what Edward needed to hear. Crushing his mouth against hers, he pressed her firmly down on the hardwood floor, settling himself on top of her. He took his time, unbuttoning her top, stroking her with his fingers and his tongue. She writhed underneath his touch, clinging to him, crying out for him.

When he finally pulled her shirt off, he stared at her, mesmerized with the sight of her lying in front of him half naked. He noted the lack of bra and cocked his eyebrow. Perched on top of her, he gave her a soft smile.

"You're fucking beautiful."

"You talk too much," she teased, pulling him down to kiss her.

Their movements became frenzied, rushed as Edward struggled to remove her skirt and his own jeans. His tongue swirled around her left nipple, taking it into his mouth. He licked, stroked, teased her with his teeth and the pleasure was unbearable for her. He alternated between her nipples, paying attention to the sensitive spot between her breasts as well.

"Edward," Bella cried, clutching his hair.

"I know," he murmured.

"Too long." As his hands spanned her flat stomach, he bit her hips gently, smiling into her skin when she begged him for more.

When he positioned himself between her legs, her body ached with anticipation of what was to come next. Balancing herself on her elbows, she trained her eyes on him, watching him hungrily as he slowly pulled down her panties.

"Pink?" he teased, raising his eyebrow.

"Do you have a problem with pink?" she smirked.

"Only when it gets in the way of what I want." He threw them across the room, a satisfied expression on his face. When he flashed a predatory smile, her heart jumped in her chest, making her body tingle even more.

Edward moved one of her legs above his shoulder, letting it rest on his back. She was already wet when he touched her, his fingers tracing the edges of her folds. Despite his light caress, she jumped in response, causing him to press down on her stomach with his free hand.

"Do you want me, Bella?" he asked, his voice velvety and smooth.

He already knew the answer to his question, her response evident on her face. With their eyes fixed on each other, there was nothing she could hide from him and Edward knew his feelings were just as exposed.

"Tell me you want me."

It occurred to Bella exactly how vulnerable she was at this moment, her emotions were out in the open and there was nothing she could do to protect herself. Her fears were starting to manifest themselves inside of her again as Edward watched her keenly. This was it. This was the point of no return. If she slept with him, she could no longer pretend he didn't mean anything to her.

"Edward-"

"Please, Bella. I need to hear it."

And she knew she could no longer hold back when she saw her fears echoed in his eyes. "I want you," she confessed, her eyes locked with his.

When he touched her next, she cried out with pleasure. His finger slid inside of her, feeling her tight texture and she arched against his touch. She was so tight and while Edward slowly worked her, he felt her muscles contract around him.

"Fuck," she moaned, closing her eyes.

He smiled, pleasuring her now with his mouth as well as his fingers. His tongue was his weapon of choice and Bella bucked against him as he circled her clit. While caressing her, he inserted another finger inside of her. He moved his fingers slowly at first, taking his time, and then he suddenly changed his rhythm, curving into her, hitting that spot.

Realizing she was incredibly close to climax, Edward stood up.

Bella opened her eyes instantly, missing the intimate contact she just had with him, she watched him bewildered as he left the room for a second.

When he came back, she saw the condoms in his hand and gave him a relieved smile.

Preoccupied with pulling down his boxers, he didn't even notice when her eyes darkened, taking in his naked form. He was incredibly beautiful and hard and she didn't know how it was possible she resisted him for so long.

"You're beautiful," she whispered, kneeling in front of him now.

Edward stared at her silently as she removed the condom from its wrapper and put it on him. She wrapped her fingers around his cock, working him slowly, and he closed his eyes, moaning with pleasure and frustration.

"Fuck Bella!"

He knew he wasn't going to last long and he'd be damned if he was going to let things finish before he even had a chance to fuck her.

Pushing her down gently on the floor, Edward settled himself on top of her, sliding leisurely inside of her. As much as it killed him to, he took his time, letting her get used to the feel of him. Hovering above her, he kept his eyes focused on her the entire time as he slowly started to move.

Meeting his gaze, she bit her lip as he established a rhythm deep inside of her. When he changed his tempo, thrusting hard against her, Bella clutched his shoulders, her nails digging into his skin. She closed her eyes, writhing underneath him, demanding with her body and mouth that he stop his torture and give her what she craved.

The pressure inside of her started to build and expand and she knew she was this close and when he reached down to pinch her clit, she bucked against his hips and screamed his name as she came.

He climaxed a few seconds after, collapsing on top of her. With his head nestled in the crook of her neck, Edward smiled into her skin.

They didn't move for the next few minutes, wrapped in each others arms. Edward knew he was probably too heavy for her but when he tried to move away, she moaned in protest and he chuckled. Her hands leisurely roamed his back as he suckled the pulse point in her neck. This moment of silence between them was so new and raw; Bella didn't want anything to ruin it.

"I'll be back," he murmured, kissing her softly on the lips and rolling off of her.

She nodded her head and watched him as he walked to the bathroom to get rid of the condom. When he came back, he picked her up in his arms and moved to the couch.

Edward nestled on top of her again and this time, she was grateful for the soft plush leather underneath her. He placed fluttery kisses all over her face and she giggled.

"Is this a new goal in life or was it just for my benefit?" Edward murmured, sucking on her earlobe.

"What?"

"The whole going without a bra thing."

"I was in a rush," she explained, blushing.

"Ah."

"Dad called me. He said you were badly hurt."

"Charlie exaggerated. Plus that was two days ago."

"I know that now," she responded wryly, cradling his face in her hands.

"Bella?"

"Yeah?"

"I love you," he confessed, looking directly at her.

"Don't. Don't say-"

"I have. For a long time now."

He noted the fear and anxiety that crept into her expression. He'd waited so long to tell her how he felt and now that she was in front of him, looking at him cautiously, it tugged at his heart.

"Do you?" he asked, his voice soft and hesitant. "Can you?"

Nervousness overtook her features as she clung to him tightly. She remained quiet and with every passing minute, the fear inside him grew. "You don't," he stated blankly, realizing his worst nightmare had just come true.

"It's hard."

"Loving me is hard?" he raged, angry tears threatening to overwhelm him.

"Nothing is ever simple with you, Edward. You just won't ever let me be. Everything is complicated and messy and just…" her voice drifted off and she found herself unable to express her true feelings.

"I'm too hard, right?" His voice was saturated with pain, anger and disappointment as he looked away from her.

"You make my life so difficult. You're never satisfied with what I can give you and you just… you always want more."

Edward snickered, the resulting noise sounding anguished. He continued to avoid her gaze as he responded. "I get it. I'm hard. I'm difficult. I complicate your life." Finally meeting her eyes, he smirked at her painfully. "I'm no Jasper Hale."

"As much as I want to, I can't stop loving you."

It took him a second to realize what she said, what her words meant.

"What?"

She didn't look too happy about the revelation as she repeated the words.

"I can't stop loving you."

"You love me?" he asked incredulously.

"I have. For a long time," she repeated his exact words from earlier.

His mouth crushed against hers, her tears mixing in with his as they both clung to each other.

"Don't make me regret this, Edward," she urged, between kisses.

"I won't."

"Don't fuck around on me, Edward."

"I won't."

"Don't leave me. Don't screw up. Don't hurt me."

"Anything else?" he teased, giggling. "Don't swear in church? Don't wear white after labor day? Don't-"

"Promise me you won't hurt me. That you won't leave."

"I'm not the one who runs, Bella," he pointed out, holding her face in his hands. "I'm not going anywhere. And I promise not to hurt you."

And she believed him despite knowing better. After all, her mother was supposed to love her but she left and never once looked back.

"I love you," he repeated, nuzzling his forehead against hers and Bella knew he meant it.


	7. Chapter 7

Disclaimer: I am in no way associated with Stephenie Meyer the creator of Twilight. No copyright infringement is intended.

* * *

**Promises**

After years apart, Edward finally catches up with his wife. Edward/Bella. AH.

* * *

"Say it and I'll leave you alone," Edward repeated. "Tell me you want to fuck me."

"Why do you even need to hear it from me? You seem to be saying it enough for the both of us."

"I like the way your mouth looks when you say the words," he winked.

She chuckled despite herself and for a moment, everything was exactly the same as it was when they first got together.

His eyes softened and he moved to cover her hand with his own. The instant they made contact, Bella felt _that_ spark. She felt it the first time she laid eyes on him, the first time she kissed him, the first time they fucked. But with the deep awareness of him also came fear.

She hastily removed her hand from his grasp, refusing to give in to the painful emotions he just incited.

"Do you want money, Edward? I'll give it to you. Promise me you'll leave and I'll even give you half," she offered, trying to sound firm.

"I remember a time when you made me promise _not_ to leave."

"That was a long time ago."

"Why did you leave me?" he demanded, sounding angry all over again. "Was it because I was too hard? Too difficult? Did I complicate your life, _Bella_?"

He used the same words she used all those years ago and the devastated look in his eyes shattered her on the inside.

"Because you broke my heart, you bastard," she bit out, trying to stop the tears that threatened to overtake her.

"What are you talking about? I'm not the one who gave up on us," he reminded her.

"You're not getting off that easily," Bella snapped. "I stood by and watched you destroy yourself but I'm not doing it anymore."

Edward laughed bitterly, taking in her hard face and the fresh tears in her eyes. "If you had issues with the wedding vows, you should have spoken up, _honey_. We could have edited out 'for worse' since you only wanted to stick around for the better times."

"And you didn't?" she interrogated, leaning towards him. "Where were you when I needed you? When Dad died, why the hell weren't you there?"

The pain of losing her father to an unexpected heart attack was still fresh in her mind. She missed him everyday and seeing Edward after all these years only served to bring up the painful memories even more.

"What the fuck are you talking about? I was right beside you. I was there with you every single day. Can you say that about yourself?"

"Drinking all day doesn't constitute as being there for me, Edward," she pointed out, bitterness lacing her voice. "I needed my husband, not a fucking drunk who I had to track down almost every night."

"Give me a fucking break, Bella," Edward raged. "I had just lost the man I thought of as a father. I was grieving."

He still remembered how lost and alone he felt without Charlie in his life. As hard as he'd tried, he couldn't work through his grief or get past his sorrow, as a result he'd sunk deeper and deeper into depression and for a long time, drowning in alcohol was the only thing that had dulled the pain.

He'd tried to turn to Bella for support, share their mutual pain but she'd seemed so cold and detached after Charlie died, Edward felt guilty for unburdening his grief on her.

"He was my father too but I didn't get drunk every day for over a year. Do you even remember that or did you just conveniently block that out?"

Bella had thought the bitterness she felt would have slightly faded after all this time but clearly, she was still resentful towards him. As if losing her father wasn't bad enough, she had to put with Edward's antics for months after, making things worse for them.

Her hopes of him reaching out to her had all been dashed, she'd wanted so desperately for him to comfort her, tell her things would be eventually okay but instead, she had to stand back and watch Edward self-destruct. He'd been too busy drinking to even notice her pain.

"I would've gotten better if you'd just been patient and stuck around."

"I waited… and I waited. I told myself you'd change. You'd be you again. You'd be the guy my dad wanted you to be. The guy I fell in love with."

If he'd only known how she felt back then, Edward mused bitterly, things would be completely different now, he could have avoided all the mistakes that he made.

With Bella lost to him, he'd started taking risks and doing extreme things just to get her attention, he planned high-risk heists with Emmett that almost got them caught on more than one occasion. He didn't care if he was captured or if he brought down Emmett with him… all he wanted was Bella to notice him, to reach out to him.

"Why couldn't you have told me this then?"

"I told you in every which that I could." Bella screamed, causing the other patrons to look at them.

"You couldn't have just _said_ 'shape up or I'm leaving?' That would have been too easy, right? Then I might have straightened up my act and you wouldn't have had an excuse to run away."

"Fuck you," she cried. "You abandoned me. Maybe not physically but you weren't there. Not the way I needed you."

"Guess we both screwed up, huh?" he stated, his voice softening.

He could feel the pain vibrating from her as she sat in front of him, tormented. He wanted to soothe her - hold her - but knew she wouldn't allow it, his anger might be slowly dissolving but hers obviously wasn't.

"What you did to me was much worse than what I ever did to you."

The words hurt him, she could see it in his face but she almost didn't care, the bitter rage she'd held in all these years were finally ready to spill over. For months after her dad passed away, she'd turned a blind eye to Edward's destructive behavior hoping he'd snap out of it.

Unfortunately, he never did. It wasn't until he'd threatened her father's legacy did Bella even consider leaving him. Her dad had always believed that no amount of money was worth jeopardizing their lives over, for this reason alone he never took on high-paying jobs knowing the risks to their personal lives were greater. Unfortunately, Edward hadn't practiced the same philosophy when he took over her dad's work, he took jobs that were too risky and it seemed he almost wanted to get caught.

Emmett had confided in her about the dangers of what Edward was doing. How he was playing with their future and freedom. Knowing she couldn't trust her husband to protect her any more, Bella decided to take matters into her own hands.

With Emmett's help, she'd slowly started to move their money into accounts that Edward had no idea existed. Since he never concerned himself with their finances, it worked to her advantage. At the time, she hadn't known what she was going to do with the money, she only wanted to ensure it wasn't readily available for Edward to waste.

"You destroyed everything Dad worked for. I'm glad he's gone because he doesn't have to see how you turned out."

Her words had the desired effect and he felt pain surge through him. He wished he could deny her accusation, tell her she was wrong but they both knew it was a lie.

"Bella, I was a mess-"

"You killed Emmett!" she accused. "You might not have shot him but he died because of you."

Ironically, Emmett hadn't died during one of Edward's high-risk heists. They were in the middle of a routine job when they were caught in the act, he had barely managed to escape but Emmett was shot. He had always held himself responsible for his friend's death and knowing Bella felt the same, sharpened his guilt.

He avoided her gaze, his face overshadowed with pain. "I know it's my fault. I'm sorry!"

"Your sorry is just not good enough."

"You fucked up too, Bella. I was arrested after you left. Did you know that? Do you even care?"

She _had_ known it was just a matter of time before the cops would follow the trail back to Edward and her. Within a few days of Emmett's death, she'd arranged everything and left Edward for good.

"Too bad the charges didn't stick."

"There was no evidence against me since the money trail all led back to you. They're still trying to track you down."

"How did you?"

"Charlie taught me a lot of things, Bella. You made it hard but it was never impossible for me to find you."

"I think I'd prefer the cops over you."

He chuckled, meeting her eyes again. "You're out of luck then. You did too good a job of disappearing for them to ever track you."

She drew in a difficult breath, her body tired and her mind emotionally exhausted from talking to him. She wanted to escape and go back to the haven she'd created for herself. Away from him.

Reminding herself how much she hated him for what he did and for what he took from her, she tried to steel herself. She repeated all the things she held him responsible for: Emmett's death, the breakdown of their relationship, for costing everything that was important to her. And yet as he sat in front of her, looking at her with hope and uncertainty, her heart cried out for him.

Bella missed him every single day she was apart from him and now that he was with her again, her buried feelings came rushing back. But she knew she wasn't going to risk her heart again. Not on him. He hurt her too much in the past to just forget about it and move on.

"Give me another chance, Bella," he pleaded quietly.

"No."

"We both made mistakes. I screwed up, I hurt you and you ran away like you always do. It'll be different this time, I promise."

"No."

"I should have talked to you, listened to you. We should have gotten help. Seen a counselor or something. We can do that now. We can get help."

"No."

"I'm not leaving, Bella. I'm here to stay. And I'll do whatever it takes to make you trust me again. You have to believe me."

"No."

"I love you," he confessed. "I know you love me too. I see it in your eyes."

"No," she whispered, her eyes softening.

Edward heard the tremble in her voice. Realizing their situation was far from hopeless, he reached out and covered her hand with his own. This time, she didn't shake him off or remove her hand. And he knew without a doubt she loved him just as much as he loved her.

"Forgive me."

...

* * *

_finis_


End file.
